Building structures

ABSTRACT

An improved building structure comprising exterior bottom plate adapted for mounting around the perimeter of a foundation and having a tongue extending along the length of the plate with holes spaced along such tongue, a plurality of wall posts each having grooved ends and a lower stud of a length to pass through a selected one of the said holes when the lower groove end of the post fits upon the said tongue, a plurality of wall members, including joiner and window panels, each having a height equal to the length of the wall posts and grooved sides including a grooved bottom plate and a grooved vertical side to accomodate a vertical marginal part of an adjacent wall post, a top plate passing along and fitting within the top grooves of the wall posts and the wall members, the top plate having holes positioned to align with the wall posts, studs passing up from the posts and through the holes in the top plate for passing up through holes in roof trusses, the construction and arrangement being such that when the bottom studs are passed through holes in a foundation and secured and the top studs through holes in the roof trusses and secured, the roof trusses, the wall components and the bottom plate are of which the following is a specification.

1 1 Oct, E5, 1974 1 1 BUTLDHNG STRUCTURES [75] Inventors: Ronald Garnett Toulson, Mt.

Maunganui; Ronaid George Nix, Taurnaga, both of New Zealand [73] Assignee: South Seas international (N. Z.)

Limited, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand 221 Filed: Aug.21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 282,225

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 23, 1971 New Zealand 164640 [52] U.S. Cl 52/92, 52/241, 52/303, 52/309, 52/586, 52/741 [51] Int. Cl E041) 7/02 [58] Field of Search 51/92, 93, 234, 241,293, 51/300, 303, 309, 584, 586, 741

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,010,874 8/1935 Matheny I U HHJ: .[IIIIILLII 52 93 2,097,796 11/1937 Kennedy 52/293 X 2,155,709 4/1939 Patterson... 52/293 X 2,336,435 12/1943 Zirinsky 52/293 X 2,699,669 1/1955 Nelsson 52/241 X 2,714,231 8/1955 Brunton 52/93 X 3,203,145 8/1965 Raynes 52/234 X 3,246,435 4/1966 Russell 52/584 3,330,084 7 1967 Russell 52/92 3,334,455 8/1967 Russell 52/58 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,106,606 7/1955 France 52/92 1,040,344 8/1966 Great Britain 52/293 Primary Examiner-Alfred C. Perham Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richards, Harris & Medlock [57] ABSTRACT An improved building structure comprising exterior bottom plate adapted for mounting around the perimeter of a foundation and having a tongue extending along the length of the plate with holes spaced along such tongue, a. plurality of wall posts each having grooved ends and a lower stud of a length to pass through a selected one of the said holes when the lower groove end of the post fits upon the said tongue, a plurality of wall members, including joiner and window panels, each having a height equal to the length of the wall posts and grooved sides including a grooved bottom plate and a grooved vertical side to accomodate a vertical marginal part of an adjacent wall post, a top plate passing along and fitting within the top grooves of the wall posts and the wall members, the top plate having holes positioned to align with the wall posts, studs passing up from the posts and through the holes in the top plate for passing up through holes in roof trusses, the construction and arrangement being such that when the bottom studs are passed through holes in a foundation. and secured and the top studs through holes in the roof trusses and secured, the roof trusses, the wall components and the bottom plate are of which the following is a specification.

11 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDBBT I 51974 3. 8-41 '.040

sum 2 or 4 PAIENIED 0611 5:914

sum 3 or 4 MN 4 QLT. i

BUILDING STRUCTURES This invention relates to improvements in building structures employing prefabricated components.

This type of construction is already known but the components require a fairly complicated means for assembling and locking the various components into an assembled structure.

The present invention is concerned with an improved building structure in which prefabricated components are readily and positively assembled together, and to a method of assembling prefabricated components into a building structure.

Accordingly, in one aspect the invention consists of an improved building structure comprising exterior bottom plate adapted for mounting around the perime ter of a foundation and having a tongue extending along the length of the plate with holes spaced along such tongue, a plurality of wall posts each having grooved ends and a lower stud of a length to pass. 1 through a selected one of the said holes when the lower groove end of the post fits upon the said tongue, a plurality of wall members, including joinery and window panels, each having a height equal to the length of the wall posts and grooved sides including a grooved bottom side fitting upon the tongue of the exterior bottom plate and a grooved vertical side to accommodate a vertical marginal part of an adjacent wall post, a top plate passing along and fitting within the top grooves of the wall posts and the wall members, the top plate having holes positioned to align with the wall posts, studs passing up from the posts and through the holes in the top plate for passing up through holes'in roof trusses, the (construction and arrangement being such that when the bottom studs are passed through holes in a foundation and secured and the top studs through holes in the roof trusses and secured, the roof trusses, the wall components and the bottom plate are locked to the foundation as a composite structure.

In another aspect the invention consists of an improved method of erecting a building structure comprising placing bottom exterior plate around the perim eter of a foundation, mounting wall posts upon the plate by inserting bottom studs of the posts through holes in the plate and holes in the foundation and secured by washers and nuts screwed onto bottom ends I of the studs, mounting wall members including joinery and window panels between adjacent wall posts, a top plate passing over the top ends of the all posts and the top sides of the wall members, the top plate having holes for top studs from the wall posts passing up through the holes in the top plate and through holes in roof trusses and secured by washers and nuts so that the roof trusses, the wall components and the bottom plate are locked to the foundation as a composite structure.

FIG. 5 is a part perspective view of an external corner wall post;

FIG. 6 is a part perspective viewof an external wall post;

FIG. 7 is a part perspective view of a top plate component; a a

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a wall member;

FIG. 9 is a partial length perspective view of a wall joining member;

FIG. 9a is a plan view of the joining member in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a detail view at the top plate of the building of FIG. 1; j

FIG. 1 l is a detail part view at the bottom plate of the building of FIG. 2 and FIG. 12 is a detail plan of an interior wall member joined to an exterior wall.

In further describing the invention, the exterior bottom plate includes externalangle components 10 and straight components 11 and 12. Each exterior angle component 10 is fabricated preferably out of 18G galvanised metal sheet and is of a right angle shape in plan. The top edge of this angle component 10 has an upstanding tongue 14 of a predetermined height and width. A hole 15 is provided in such tongue 14 centrally at the comer thereof. The lower edge of the component 10 has an upturned lip 13. The straight bottom plate components 11 and 12 consist of a length component 11 and a joining component 12 are of a desired length and have a cross-section similar to a side of the exterior angle component 10. The length ofeach of the length components 11 is such as to provide for a number of holes 16 being drilled through its tongue 17 at desired pitch, for example at 3ft. centers. The joining component 12 is of a length such that it can join together adjacent ends of length components 11. The joining is effected by overlapping the joining component 12 with the ends of adjacent length components 11. This joining component 12 is formed with a tongue 18 the same as bottom plate components 10 and 11 which has a central hole 19. Both. components 11 and 12 are provided with the lower upturned lip 13 as on the external corner component 10.

In component 10, 11 and 12 one form of tongue is shown (FIGS. 2-4) but if preferred a second'form as shown in FIG. 11 can be employed.

The wall posts are constructed of .a length equal to wall height and are of a hollow steel section such as We inch x 2 inch x 18G sheet metal. The sheet metal can be galvanised or Tenit butyrate plastics coated. If galvanised, a paint finish can be applied. Forcorners, an external angle wall post 20 is provided and has its bottom end grooved as at 21 to take the tongue 14 of the exterior floor angle component 10 and its top end grooved as at 22. The top end plate of the angle wall post 20 is provided with a threaded'hole 23 in which a stud 24 can be screwed to project therefrom. The lower grooved end 21 is also provided with a threaded hole (not shown) and a stud (also not shown) the said stud being of a length to suit the thickness of the building foundation. This lowerstud is positioned such as to pass through the corner hole 15 of the exterior floor angle component 10 when thegroove 2.1 of the angle wall post 20 is fitted over the tongue 14 of the said angle component 10. The bottom end of each external wall post 25 is similarly grooved (as at 26) and has a similarly positioned hole (not shown) from which a stud 24 can project.

The upper end of each wall post 25 is likewise grooved (as at 27) and has a similarly positioned hole 28 for a further stud 24.

The wall members are of panel nature and include both exterior wall panels 29 and interior wall panels 30. Both panels 29 and 30 are fabicated from 26G galvanised metal sheets and are of a hollow section. Each edge of the panel is provided with a groove 31. The internal width of the groove 31 is about 1 /2 inch so that the longer side grooves can mate (see FIG. 12) with the wall posts 20 and 25. The top groove 31 of each of the panels 29 and 30 is provided with openings (shown in dotted) one of which 32 is an inlet for the admission of polyurethane or polystyrene so that the panel has a selfextinguishing polyurethane or polystyrene core. When the wall member forms an exterior panel 29 one side is coated with polyvinylidene fluoride resin, while the other side is polyvinyl covered and the core is of polyurethane material. For an interior panel 30 the wall member is coated on both sides with a polyvinyl covering and is filled with either polyurethane foam or polystyrene block.

Alternatively the exterior wall panels 27 are constructed of 266 galvanised metal sheet on its exterior with a self-extinguishing polyurethane core and a plywood, hardboard, metal sheet or Ivory board, and an interior lining. These are adhered together to form a strong permanent wall panel. The interior wall panels 28 are constructed with a metal edging strip of galvanised iron, self-extinguishing polyurethane or polystyrene core and a plywood, Formica wallboard, metal sheet or Ivory board as a surface material. On both surfaces of the interior panel this covering is used.

Both wall panels 29 and 30 are of dimensions about 8 feet x 3 feet with a core thickness substantially equal to the width of the tongue of the floor plates 10, 11 and 12, Le. about l inch. Further each wall panel 29 and 30 has provided in it upper groove openings 33 which provide electrical wiring access. The groove 39 in upper side of each wall panel 29 and 30 also serves to receive the cross-section of atop plate 34 said top plate 34 being preferably of inverted channel section to fit flush with the top edges of the posts 20 and 25 and the said wall panels 29 and 30. This top plate 34 has holes 35 to align with the holes in the tops of the wall posts 20 and 25, and wall members 29 and 30. Weathering strips 46 can be inserted between channel sections and top and bottom plates.

For interior walls 30, a pre-drilled plate 36 is pro videdfor fixing to the floor 37 (see FIG. 11) of the building on the centre line of the wall.

The interior wall panels 30 are attached to the exterior walls of a building, as shown in FIG. 12, by way of a wall joining member 38. This wall joining member 38 consists of 246 galvanised sheet formed into a length of substantially romboid cross sectional shape (FIG. 9a). The longer side 39 of romboid shape, however, iscut midway in its length and each part is folded back to form a hook 40. The side of the joining member 38 opposite the hooked side is of a width compatible with the groove 31 on the wall panel 30, i.e., 1 /2 inches. In use (as shown in FIG. 12) the outwardly sloping side walls 41 are pressed inwards so that the hooks 40 come together whereupon they are slipped in behind the side edges of the exterior wall panels 29 engaged on a exterior wall post 25; When the hooks 40 are in place the sides 41 are released so that the joining member 38 locks into position. The interior wall panel groove 31 can thus engage the joining member 38 to assist in holding the panel 30 in position. i

The top plate 34 can include tie components and straight components. Each tie plate has a hole positioned to suit the hole in the top end of a wall post 20 or 25 and a turned down end shaped to engage into an adjacent hole of an adjacent top plate 34.

In further describing the method of erecting the structure a suitable foundation is provided. This foundation can be a wooden floor foundation, comprising flooring 37 on joists 42, upon which the exterior bottom plate components 10, 11 and 12 are placed around the perimeter of the foundation. This plate also serves as a flashing for weathering with the lips 13 engaging on the underside of the flooring foundation. Using the holes provided in the exterior bottom plate as a template, holes are drilled through the floor 37 and floor joists 42 of the timber foundation. The studs 24 at the bottom ends of the wall posts 20 and 25 are now passed through the respective aligning holes in the exterior bottom plates 10, 11 and 12, the floor 37 and the loor joists 42 and secured by washers and nuts screwed on to bottom ends of the studs projecting from the underside of the floor joists. In the case of a concrete floor, the holes are similarly drilled and the wall post studs pass through aligning holes in the bottom plates and the concrete floor and similarly secured with washers and nuts underneath the concrete floor. The top plate 34 is not fitted into the grooved top ends 22 and 27 of the wall posts 20 and 25 and the top grooved sides 31 of the wall panels 29 and corner tie plates having their turndown'ed ends engaging into a hole of an adjacent top plate 34.

Another stud 24 is screwed into the top end of each wall post 20 and 25 and then through the hole in the tie plate where applicable and through holes formed in the roof truss 43 and secured with a washer and nut screwed onto the stud 24. The roof truses are of lumber and assembled with nailplates 44 for maximum strength. These may vary in size of lumber to suit the span of the house. The floor 37 is thus secured to roof trusses 43 at the 3 feet intervals along the exterior walls giving maximum strength. Any type of roofing may be used, i.e., corrugated iron, Decramastic tiles, slates, etc., fixed to appropriately spaced purlines. Ceiling joists'are fixed between the trusses to carry the appropriate ceiling required.

The wall posts are positioned on the 3 feet center holes to all walls with a wall panel or joinery panel having similar sides similar to those of the wall panels. These joinery panels can include window frames of full panel size to allow for a standard wall panel to be interchanged with a standard wall panel. Window'frames can be anodised aluminium with louvre or awning type windows. If desired a single nonopening picture window can be used. Door frames can be of timber treated Tanalith 3.5 lbs./cu. ft. multisalt retention treatment (Wolmanizing) and full panel size.

Interior walls are fixed in a similar way to the exterior walls by fixing the predrilled plate'36 to the fioor 37 on the centre line of walls where required. A short stud or bolt is then screwed into a wall post 25 which is then placed in the fixed plate 36. There is no need to take the bolt through the floor 37 except when wooden floors and foundations are likely to experience cyclonic conditions. The other end of the post is then bolted through the top plate M and the bottom chord 45 of the roof truss as detailed above.

Doors are 6 feet 6 inches x 2 feet 8 inches with a small fixed panel above. The doors of flush drum type and termite-treated. Cupboards can be installed by screws passing into wall posts with metal-threaded screws.

All plumbing pipes are assembled and laid out on the building site before pouring the concrete floor or before fixing the wooden floor so that all pipes are correctly positioned to enter kitchen or bathroom units from vertically below the position of taps. All pipes leading to the various units go inside each unit cabinet. Electrical wiring is carried through the holes 33 positioned in each wall panel. These wires can be brought to the surface by drilling a hole or positioning a switch box at the required height as the wiring holes run the full length of each panel.

We claim:

1. An improved building structure comprising exterior bottom plate adapted for mounting around the perimeter of a foundation and having a tongue extending along the length of the plate with holes spaced along such tongue, a plurality of wall posts each having grooved ends and a lower stud of a length to pass through a selected one of the said holes when the lower groove end of the post fits upon the said tongue, a plurality of wall members, including joinery and window panels, each having a height equal to the length of the wall posts and grooved sides including a grooved bottom side fitting upon the tongue of the exterior bottom plate and a grooved vertical side to accommodate a vertical marginal part of an adjacent wall post, a top plate passing along said-fitting within the top grooves of the wall posts and the wall members, the top plate having holes positioned to align with the wall posts, studs passing up from the posts and through the holes in the top plate for passing up through holes in roof trusses, the construction and arrangement being such that when the bottom studs are passed through holes in a foundation and secured and the top studs through holes in the roof trusses and secured, the roof trusses, the wall components and the bottom plate are locked to the foundation as a composite structure.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bottom plate comprises external angle components, straight length components and joining components for combining adjacent straight length components, all components having an upstanding tongue on their top edge, the tongue being of a predetermined height and width, the angle component being of a right angle shape in plan.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bot-. tom plate components are each fabricated out of sheet metal and each have an upturned lip formed on their lower edge.

4. A structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein the joining component has a hole medially in the length of the tongue, the angle component has a hole provided in the tongue centrally at the corner thereof and the straight length components have a number of holes provided in the tongue and spaced at a regular pitch.

5. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wall posts are constructed of a length equal to wall height of the structure and are of a hollow section, there being an external angle wall post for corners of the structure of right angle shape in plan and an external/interior wall post of rectangular shape in plan.

6. A structure as claimed in' claim 5 wherein each grooved end of the wall posts is provided with a central screw threaded hole in which the stud is located.

7. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wall members are of panel nature fabricated from sheet material and of hollow section, the top groove of each wall member being provided with at least one opening through which at least one polymer from a group consisting of polyurethane and polystyrene can be admitted to fill the hollow panel and thus provide a core in the said panel.

8. A structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein one sur face of said wall member is coated with a polyvinyl and the other is coated with at least one polymer from the group of polyvinylidene fluoride and polyvinyl resin.

9. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top plate consists of an inverted channel section substantially of the same cross sectional dimensions as the tongue of the bottom plate and is provided with a series of holes to align with holes in the tops of the wall posts and wall members.

10. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein a joining member is provided for wall to wall junctions, the joining member being formed from a length of sheet material, substantially equal to the length of the wall posts, into a romboid cross sectional shape in plan, the longer side of the romboid section being cut midway in its length and each part folded back to form a hook portion.

1 1. An improved method of erecting a building struc' ture comprising placing bottom exterior plate around the perimeter of a foundation, mounting wall posts upon the plate by insertbottom studs of the posts through holes in the plate and holes in the foundation and secured by washers and nuts screwed onto bottom ends of the studs, mounting wall members including joinery and window panels between adjacent wall posts, a top plate passing over the: top ends of the wall posts and the top sides of the wall members, the top plate having holes for top studs from the wall posts passing up through the holes in the top plate and through holes in roof trusses and. secured by washers and nuts so that the roof trusses, the wall components and the bottom plate are locked to the foundation as a composite structure.

=i l= l 

1. An improved building structure comprising exterior bottom plate adapted for mounting around the perimeter of a foundation and having a tongue extending along the length of the plate with holes spaced along such tongue, a plurality of wall posts each having grooved ends and a lower stud of a length to pass through a selected one of the said holes when the lower groove end of the post fits upon the said tongue, a plurality of wall members, including joinery and window panels, each having a height equal to the length of the wall posts and grooved sides including a grooved bottom side fitting upon the tongue of the exterior bottom plate and a grooved vertical side to accommodate a vertical marginal part of an adjacent wall post, a top plate passing along said fitting within the top grooves of the wall posts and the wall members, the top plate having holes positioned to align with the wall posts, studs passing up from the posts and through the holes in the top plate for passing up through holes in roof trusses, the construction and arrangement being such that when the bottom studs are passed through holes in a foundation and secured and the top studs through holes in the roof trusses and secured, the roof trusses, the wall components and the bottom plate are locked to the foundation as a composite structure.
 2. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bottom plate comprises external angle components, straight length components and joining components for combining adjacent straight length components, all components having an upstanding tongue on their top edge, the tongue being of a predetermined height and width, the angle component being of a right angle shape in plan.
 3. A structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bottom plate components are each fabricated out of sheet metal and each have an upturned lip formed on their lower edge.
 4. A structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein the joining component has a hole medially in the length of the tongue, the angle component has a hole provided in the tongue centrally at the corner thereof and the straight length components have a number of holes provided in the tongue and spaced at a regular pitch.
 5. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wall posts are constructed of a length equal to wall height of the structure and are of a hollow section, there being an external angle wall post for corners of the structure of right angle shape in plan and an external/interior wall post of rectangular shape in plan.
 6. A structure as claimed in claim 5 wherein each grooved end of the wall posts is provided with a central screw threaded hole in which the stud is located.
 7. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wall members are of panel nature fabricated from sheet material and of hollow section, the top groove of each wall member being provided with at least one opening through which at least one polymer from a group consisting of polyurethane and polystyrene can be admitted to fill the hollow panel and thus provide a core in the said panel.
 8. A structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein one surface of said wall member is coated with a polyvinyl and the other is coated with at least one pOlymer from the group of polyvinylidene fluoride and polyvinyl resin.
 9. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top plate consists of an inverted channel section substantially of the same cross sectional dimensions as the tongue of the bottom plate and is provided with a series of holes to align with holes in the tops of the wall posts and wall members.
 10. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein a joining member is provided for wall to wall junctions, the joining member being formed from a length of sheet material, substantially equal to the length of the wall posts, into a romboid cross sectional shape in plan, the longer side of the romboid section being cut midway in its length and each part folded back to form a hook portion.
 11. An improved method of erecting a building structure comprising placing bottom exterior plate around the perimeter of a foundation, mounting wall posts upon the plate by insertbottom studs of the posts through holes in the plate and holes in the foundation and secured by washers and nuts screwed onto bottom ends of the studs, mounting wall members including joinery and window panels between adjacent wall posts, a top plate passing over the top ends of the wall posts and the top sides of the wall members, the top plate having holes for top studs from the wall posts passing up through the holes in the top plate and through holes in roof trusses and secured by washers and nuts so that the roof trusses, the wall components and the bottom plate are locked to the foundation as a composite structure. 